Statistician : Career development

Promotion within the Government Statistical Service (GSS) depends on performance and merit. Assistant statisticians are generally encouraged to move post every two years to ensure that they are exposed to as many different areas of statistics as possible. In order to obtain promotion, assistants are required to sit formal promotion boards, which are held fairly frequently for all grades.

The assistant statistician (AS) grade is a training grade. The higher grades at AS level can offer line-management responsibilities. Progression to a statistician grade will most likely involve heading up a statistics branch and managing a small team of ASs and administrators. In general, this progression would take around eight years. Senior statisticians manage a number of statistics branches and provide strategic leadership.

Outside the GSS, most organisations employ statisticians in smaller numbers, which means that opportunities for internal promotion may be limited. Promotion may be easier to find by changing employers. It is usually possible to switch between the different sectors after gaining a few years' experience.

There are many career options and opportunities for diversification or specialisation at a later stage. With a PhD, prospects exist in research and possibly teaching at a medical school. Larger companies usually have a promotion structure that allows for advancement into more senior management positions.